CT Blue

If this is true (from Politico via Truthdig) then it’s a terribly refreshing development:

[Pelosi] is laying down the law nonetheless.

In talks with Emanuel and others, sources say, Pelosi has “set parameters” for what she wants from Barack Obama and his White House staff — no surprises, and no backdoor efforts to go around her and other Democratic leaders by cutting deals with moderate New Democrats or conservative Blue Dogs.

Specifically, Pelosi has told Emanuel that she wants to know when representatives of the incoming administration have any contact with her rank-and-file Democrats — and why, sources say.

Obama may have picked Emanuel for his take no prisoners style, but we on the left, whether of the near or far variety, have to remember that this is the guy who, when he headed the DCCC, consistently looked for the most conservative people he could find to run as Democrats for Congress. In 2006 a number of those folks (aka Blue Dog Democrats) got elected to seats that honest progressives also could have won. Now Rahm’s children are holding the Democrats hostage to Republican-lite policies. I would like to believe that Pelosi really did tell Emanuel that there are to be no backdoor deals with the right wing of the Democratic Party.

Would that we had similar leadership in the Senate. Harry “It takes 60 votes to pass anything when and only when Democrats are in the majority” Reid is happy as a swine in dung at the prospect of Evan Bayh founding his very own Senate Blue Dog Chapter:

“Nearly a decade of Republican fiscal irresponsibility has contributed to our current economic crisis,” Reid spokesman Jim Manley said in an e-mail statement. “That is why Sen. Reid welcomes Sen. Bayh’s decision to form this group. For we know that Sen. Bayh, like all Democrats, is committed to restoring our nation’s fiscal and economic health.”

Yes, committed to restoring the nation’s fiscal and economic health by breaking unions (more gently than Republicans, I suppose), protecting corporate criminals, and making it impossible to pass the kind of progressive legislation that we will need to get out of the mess the “conservative” philosophy has created. Bayh expects to hold the balance of power in the Senate. He wants to be the guy who can get the Democrats to 60, but when they get there it will be by caving to his ilk. We will see more legislation like the shameful bailout.

All of this, of course, stems from Reid’s insistence that it takes 60 votes to pass anything in the Senate. It doesn’t. It takes 51 votes to pass something. It takes 60 votes to stop a filibuster. We will never know if Reid could muster those 60 votes because the only time he’s ever required anyone to actually filibuster was when he forced Chris Dodd to filibuster the shameful FISA cave-in. If Reid doesn’t force the Republicans to actually stand and talk all day, if he doesn’t force them to let the public see who is holding up legislation designed to help them, then he deserves to lose.

He should take a page from Pelosi’s book, or he should take a walk and give his job to someone who can handle it.